Five Steps to Quicker Turn Times

The appraisal profession is evolving at all times. Commonly, it seems, appraisers are asked to supply additional information or have steps added to their research. All of this is to ensure the end user receives the best information available. In order to keep up with the continuously changing requirements, Forefront Appraisal Services is constantly seeking additional tools and improving processes in order to increase efficiency so we can do more work for you. Since Forefront Appraisal Services knows that time is important to everyone, here are some tips you can do to accelerate the process each time you order an appraisal with Forefront Appraisal Services .

Are you ordering appraisals online?: By ordering online, you get automatic e-mail notifications that the request was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. This tip alone will save the most time! We don't have to re-key information from a fax, and you don't have to wonder whether we got the request.
Make sure that the subject property information is accurate and complete.: There's nothing like being one number off on the street address to add unnecessary time to an appraisal assignment. Unique identifiers like a tax parcel number, plat map number, or subdivision name is helpful information to pass long with the request. We even welcome lists of recent sales in the area — remember, however, that professional appraisers must always do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours may differ from yours.
Tell us up front of the property's unique characteristics.: Cookie-cutter homes are relatively easy to appraise. Most of an appraiser's time is spent analyzing how characteristics unique to a property add to or detract from what otherwise would be a property's market value. Let us know up front when you order your report if there are unique elements of the home or surrounding area -- for example, it's recently had an addition constructed, it's subject to zoning restrictions, it's prone to flooding. These are things we'll find out on our own anyway, and knowing them sooner will likely make your report arrive more quickly.
Does the homeowner know what to expect?: One of the most inefficient tasks of the appraisal process is confirming an inspection date with the homeowner. It's understandable for a homeowner to be uneasy with an outsider inspecting every corner of their home, taking pictures, and making copious notes. A common belief is that they need to make the place spotless before the inspection, having the thought that will make the house appraise higher. And will choose to not schedule the appraisal inspection until they can get around to cleaning.

Coming directly from you -- a person they have been working with on their loan -- a short explanation about the appraisal process, who we are, and especially that dusting and polishing won't make it more likely their sale will close, and can go a long way toward trimming the time it takes to inspect a home. Our website has lots of pages of relevant information about the appraisal process for homeowners. Please feel free to share it with your clients. Advise them to call us if they want to meet our staff and learn more about our services. And tell them it's to their benefit to set the appointment without delay!
Easily track the status of your report on our website.: Why are you still playing phone and fax tag when our website offers up-to-the-minute status updates available online, anytime, 24/7? As each important milestone in an assignment is completed, that information is available to you online. It's never been easier to keep track of your report's status.